Toy rocket launching vehicle



July 16, 1968 J. w. RYAN ETAL TOY ROCKET LAUNCHING VEHICLE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 28, 1966 Ara mks ,75/0/ u/. krnw Did/fl A M66! y 6, 1968 J. w. RYAN ETAL 3,392,434

TOY ROCKET LAUNCHING VEHICLE Filed Feb. 28, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet x7 3 flrrazwrrs y 1968 J. w. RYAN ETAL 3,392,484

TOY ROCKET LAUNCHING VEHICLE Filed Feb. 28, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Ara tunes 6 /w 0- may film/1 M 4214;

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Irraaur/S United States Patent 3,392,484 TOY ROCKET LAUNCHING VEHICLE John W. Ryan, Bel-Air, and Daniel H. Meggs, Redondo Beach, Calif., assignors to Mattel, Inc., Hawthorne, Calif., a corporation of California 1 Filed Feb. 28, 1966, Ser. No. 530,421 9 Claims. (Cl. 46-202) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A toy truck having a spring motor and a vertically swingable lever for energizing the spring. As the spring drives the truck the lever rises. A rocket launcher is pivotally mounted at the upper end of the lever and is retained by a spring detent at any selected angle of elevation. As the truck moves forwardly and the lever swings up, relative motion between the lever and the rocket launcher releases a spring detent and permits a spring to project the rocket forwardly and upwardly while the truck continues to coast. Sounding means are controlled by the launching mechanism.

The present invention relates to a toy vehicular rocket launcher and more particularly to a toy vehicle having a rocket launching mechanism movably mounted thereon and self-propelling means which serve to automatically actuate the launching mechanism during movement of the vehicle.

Although various types of toy rocket or weapon launchers are or have been on the market, many of these have not proven entirely satisfactory. For example, may of these toys have incorporated an immobile base for the launching mechanism and/or have comprise a launching mechanism that could not be adjusted or aimed, and thus have not been sufiiciently amusing and versatile to hold the interest of a child for more than a very short period of time. Other toys on the market, while being provided with an adjustable launching mechanism and/ or a movable vehicle on which the launching mechanism is mounted, have been complicated in construction, expensive to manufacture, easily breakable, or have not sufficiently simulated the actual appearance and operation of rocket launchers to provide a lasting appeal to children. In addition, even in toys wherein the rocket launching mechanism has been adjustable and mounted on a movable vehicle so as to provide mobility and versatility, it has not been possible to automatically actuate the launching mechanism in response to manual or self-propelling movement of the vehicle, a feature which offers maximum amusement to a child because of the substantial amount of trueto-life simulation achieved.

An example of a prior art toy which comprises a rocket launching mechanism that is movably mounted on a movable vehicle, and is adapted to be automatically fired in response to movement of the vehicle, is disclosed in the United States patent to Fields, 2,735,221. The Toy Weapon Carrier disclosed in the Fields patent comprises a wheeled vehicle upon which a rocket or missile-firing housing is pivotally mounted. The housing is biased towards an upper, firing position by a pair of coil springs, and is operatively associated with the rear wheels of the vehicle so that upward movement of the housing results in the driving of the rear wheels and forward propulsion of the vehicle. In the operation of Fields weapon carrier, a child loads a spring-type firing mechanism in the housing and places a missile therein and then presses the housing downwardly against the force of the coil springs to compress them. When the housing is released the coil springs move it upwardly to a firing position and simultaneously drive the rear wheels of the supporting vehicle through ice the operative association between the housing and the wheels. When the housing pivots upwardly to a predetermined firing position its firing mechanism is automatically actuated by engagement with fixed lugs actuated to fire the'missile therein as the vehicle is moving.

While such a construction provides for automatic firing of the missile in response to movement of the vehicle on which the launching mechanism is mounted it does not provide for the varying of the upper position of the housing at which the missile will be fired owing to the nonadjustable, fixed mounting of the firing mechanism-adjusting' lugs. In other words, the launching mechanism of the Fields construction is not capable of being adjusted or preset by a child to fire the missile at various positions of the housing and thus through different trajectories. It is apparent, therefore, that the Fields toy results in a substantially identical flight path of the missile each time it is fired. Such repetition becomes boring to a child, with the consequent disadvantage that the child quickly loses interest in the toy.

The general purpose of the present invention is to provide a mobile rocket launcher which embraces substantially all of the advantages of prior and similarly employed toys, and which possesses none of the above metnioned disadvantages.

It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a new and improved toy rocket or missile launcher which is mounted on a movable vehicle and which is adapted to be fired in response to movement of the vehicle.

An additional object of the present invention is the provision of a toy in the form of a vehicle-mounted rocket launcher which is so constructed as to be automatically fired in response to a predetermined movement of the vehicle, and which is adjustable to selectively vary the angle of firing and thus the trajectory of the rocket.

A further object is to provide such a toy vehicle wherein the firing movement of the launching mechanism aids in the propulsion of the rocket therefrom.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a toy rocket launcher in the form of a truck-type vehicle having a launching mechanism movably mounted on the rear portion thereof, the launching mechanism being actuatable in response to a predetermined movement of the vehicle, and the vehicle incorporating a unit for simulating a motor sound, thereby providing a toy vehicle which is very appealing to a child.

Still another object is to provide such a toy vehicle wherein the motor sound simulating unit is adjustable and is operatively associated with the launching mechanism, so that firing movement of the latter serves to vary the sound produced by the motor unit, and thus realistically simulates true-to-life operation of such a vehicle.

According to the present invention, a self-propelled toy vehicle is provided with an adjustable rocket-launching mechanism that is actuatable in response to a predetermined movement of the vehicle. The self-propelling means for the vehicle, for example, may be in the form of one or more helical torsion springs which are operatively associated at one end with the launching mechanism and, at the other end, with the vehicle. Each torsion spring is operatively associated with the rear wheels of the vehicle through a suitable gearing arrangement so that unwinding or return movement of the spring results in driving of the wheels and propulsion of the vehicle. Because one end of the spring is associated with the launching mechanism, such unwinding movement also actuates the launching mechanism to automatically fire a rocket mounted thereon during the propulsion of the vehicle. The adjustability of the launching mechanism enables the selection of a desired angle of firing of the rocket during movement of the vehicle to thus provide great appeal and enjoyment to children playing with the toy. In addition, the toy vehicle is provided with a variable motor sound simulating unit that is operatively associated with the launching mechanism so that firing movement of the latter serves to automatically vary the sound produced by the unit from a motortype sound to a siren-type sound, thereby closely simulating true-to-life operation of such a vehicle and adding to the interest-holding value of the toy.

The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to like elements in the several views.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view, with parts broken away, of a toy vehicle constructed in accordance with the principles of the instant invention, showing the launching mechanism in a position ready for firing;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along line 3-3 of FIGURE 1, with parts broken away;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view showing the side of the launching mechanism opposite to that shown in FIGURE 1, and specifically illustrating the structure for adjusting the firing position of the launching mechanism;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 5--5 in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is a side elevational view of the rear portion of the vehicle shown in FIGURE 1, showing the operative association between the spring driving means, the launching mechanism and the rear wheels of the vehicle, with the launching mechanism in the same position as that shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 6, showing the launching mechanism in a position wherein the spring driving means is between its fully loaded and normal positions; and

FIGURE 8 is a view similar to FIGURES 6 and 7, showing the launching mechanism after a rocket has been fired therefrom and the spring means has assumed its normal or unloaded position.

As a preferred or exemplary embodiment of the instant invention, FIGURES 1 and 2 illustrate a toy vehicle 10 comprising a cab portion 12 at the front end thereof, and a rear platform 14 surrounded by an upstanding wall 16 to simulate a pick-up truck. The vehicle 10 is supported by a pair of rotatable front wheels 18 and a pair of rotatable rear wheels 20, the latter being adapted to be driven for propelling the vehicle in a manner to be described hereinafter.

Mounted within the cab portion 12 of the vehicle 10 is a manually operable motor sound simulating unit, generally designated 22, which may be of any suitable construction, such as that disclosed in United States patent application Ser. No. 447,484, filed Apr. 1'2, 1965, by John W. Ryan, for Device for Simulating Motor Sounds. The sound unit 22 is provided with a manually engageable handle 24 which is normally biased to the upper position shown in FIGURE 1, and which may be successively moved downwardly toward the rear platform 14 of the vehicle to operate the motor sound unit. The unit 22 preferably is of the type incorporating a flywheel or similarly functioning means for continuing the operation of the unit after the actuation of the handle 24. In addition, the unit 22 preferably is of the variable type having a sound varying means in the form of a movable lever or control member 26 extending rearwardly from the cab portion 12 and being movable upwardly and downwardly. As an illustrative example, the motor sound unit 22 preferably is constructed to simulate a driving motor sound when the lever 26 is in the lower position of FIGURE 1, an idling motor sound when the lever 26 is in an intermediate position, and a siren-type sound when the lever 26 is in an upper position. It is noted that the motor sound unit 22 may be of any suitable construction and may operate in any suitable manner other than that described above, without departing from the scope and spirit of the instant invention, the specific construction and operation of the motor sound unit per se forming no part of this invention.

Referring to FIGURES l and 2, vehicle driving means in the form of a pair of helical torsion springs 28 and 30 surround a pair of axially aligned, generally cylindrical support members 32 and 34, respectively, which are rigidly mounted on the rear vehicle plateform 14. Rotatably mounted between interior flanged portions 36 of the support members 32, 34 is a first gear member 38 having a generally circular upper portion adjacent the support members 32 and 34 and a depending gear sector 40 (see FIGURE 6). The inner ends of each of the springs 28 and 30 extendupwardly between a pair of circumferentially spaced transverse pins 42 and 44 rigidly secured to the first gear member 38. In this manner, torsional movement of the springs results in similar rotary movement of the first gear member, owing to the engagement of the upper spring ends with the transverse pins 42 and 44, as will be more specifically described hereinafter.

As shown in FIGURES l and 6, the gear segment 40 of the first gear member 38 is positioned for engagement with a small gear wheel 43 rigidly mounted on the shaft 45 of a second gear member 46. The shaft 45 of the second gear member 46 is rotatably and slidably mounted at its end in elongated bearing slots 48 formed in depending parallel plates 50 disposed on opposite sides of the second gear member 46 and rigidly secured to the vehicle in any suitable manner. Each of the bearing slots 48 is inclined downwardly toward a third gear member 52 which is rigidly secured to the axle 54 for the rear wheels 20. When the second gear member shaft 45 is disposed at the lower end of each of the bearing slots 48, the second gear member 46 is disposed in meshing engagement with the third gear member 52 (see FIGURE 6); and when the shaft 45 is at the upper end of the bearing slots 48, the gear member 46 is spaced from the third gear member 52 (see FIGURE 8), for a purpose which will be apparent from the description hereinafter.

The lower ends of each of the springs 28 and 30 are disposed in engagement with the rear portion of a housing 56 for the rear axle 54, and preferably are prevented from moving axially relative to the housing 56 by any suitable means on the housing. It will be readily seen that a clockwise deformation of the upper ends of the springs 28, 30, as seen in FIGURES 1 and 6, results in the springs being torsionally loaded, because the lower ends of the springs are prevented from clockwise movement by their engagement with the rear axle housing 56. Such deformation of the upper spring ends effects a similar clockwise rotation of the first gear member 38 and its gear segment 40, owing to the engagement of the upper spring ends with the pin 44. During this torsional loading of the springs 28 and 30, the shaft 45 of the second gear member 46 is disposed at the upper end of the hearing slots '48, because of the clockwise rotation of the gear segment 40 in engagement with the gear wheel 42 of the second gear member. During loading of the springs 28 and 30, therefore, the second gear member 46 is disposed out of meshing engagement with the third gear member 52 mounted on the axle 54, with the result that no drive is transferred to the rear wheels 20.

When the springs 28 and 30 have been substantially fully torsionally located, as illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 6, they exert a resilient return force in a counterclockwise direction which biases the gear segment 40 in a similar direction and shifts the shaft 45 to the lower end of the bearing slots 48, wherein the second gear member 46 is disposed in meshing engagement with the third or axle gear member 52. The springs 28, 30 and the gear members 38,46"and 52 are retained in this loaded position by a locking lever 58 which is pivotally mounted on a gear housing 60 depending from the rear vehicle platform 14 and which extends upwardly through a slot in the rear platform 14. The locking lever 58 is provided at its lower end with a tooth 62 that is adapted for engagement with the teeth of the second gear member 46 when the lever 58 is in the upper position shown in FIGURE 6. During the loading of the springs 28, 30, the lever 58 is pivoted to its upper locking position by the engagement of a pin 63 on an extension 64 of the first gear member 38 with the tooth 62 of the locking lever. A friction or spring washer 65 is provided on the pivot shaft of the lever 58 to retain it in its upper position until it is lockingly engaged with the teeth of the second gear member 46. It is evident that, when the locking lever tooth 62 is in engagement with the teeth of the second gear member 46, there can be no clockwise rotation of the first gear -member 38 and its gear segment 40, and also the upper ends of the springs 28 and 30 (owing to the engagement of the latter with the pin 42) When the locking lever 58 is rotated in a clockwise direction from the position of FIGURE 6 to that of FIGURE 7, wherein its tooth 62 is moved out of engagement with the teeth on the second gear member 46, the torsional return force of the springs 28 and 30 causes their upper ends to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction, whereby rotating the first gear member 38 in a similar direction and the second gear member 46 in a clockwise direction, owing to the engagement of the gear segment 40 with the gear wheel 43 on the second gear member. Clockwise rotation of the second gear member 46 effects counter-clockwise rotation of the third or axle gear member 52 to thus drive the rear wheels 20 in a counterclockwise direction to propel the vehicle forwardly.

When the counter-clockwise movement of the springs 28, 30 is stopped (see FIGURE 8), the clockwise rotation of the second gear member 46, and its gear wheel 43 in engagement with the gear segment 40, causes the shaft 45 thereof to shift to the upper end of the bearing slots 48 to thus move the second gear member 46 out of meshing engagement with the third or axle gear member 52, thereby enabling the rear vehicle wheels 20 to rotate freely'and provide for coasting of the vehicle for a considerable distance after it has been positively driven by the springs 28 and 30.

From the foregoing description, it is apparent that the torsion springs 28, 30 and the gearing arrangement described above provide a drive means for the rear vehicle wheels which can be conveniently loaded and released by a child to function as a self-propelling means for the vehicle 10.

Referring now to FIGURES 1, 2 and 6, the upper ends of each of the springs 28, are secured in any suitable manner to depending portions on one end of a lever 68, which forms part of a spring deforming means to be hereinafter described. The other end of the lever 68 is pivotally mounted on a pin 70 extending between and secured to the end portions of a pair of elongated support arms 72 and 74. Each of the support arms 72, 74 is pivotally mounted at its opposite end on one side of an upstanding arcuate base member 76, which is mounted on the rear vehicle platform 14 and is provided with a hollow interior portion 78 and an elongated slot 80 adjacent the first gear member 38 that are adapted to receive the gear segment (see FIGURES 2 and 6). As shown in FIGURE 6, the support arm 74 is provided with a lower end portion 82 extending beyond the support arm 72 and the base member 76. An elongated arm 84 has one end thereof pivotally connected to the support arm portion 82, and has the other end thereof so positioned as to be disposed beneath the control member 26 for the purpose of automatically varying the sound produced by the motor sound unit 22 in a manner to be described more specifically hereinafter. The base member 76 is provided with a pin 86 which extends laterally outwardly beneath the arm 84 and is positioned to be engaged by the arm 84 during a predetermined movement thereof, as will also be more fully explained hereinafter.

As shown in FIGURES 1 through 5, an elongated housing 88 for launching a toy rocket or missile 90 is pivotally mounted adjacent one end thereof on the pin 70 extending between the upper ends of the support arms 72 and 74. The housing 88 comprises an inner longitudinal opening 92 in which a compression-type spring 94 is disposed. A longitudinal slot 96 is provided in the housing 88 and extends from the upper end thereof through approximately one-half of the length of the housing (see FIGURE 1). As shown in FIGURES 3 and 5, the toy rocket 90 preferably is provided with a pair of outwardly extending, fin-shaped ribs 98 disposed on opposite sides of the midportion thereof. Each of these ribs 98 is adapted to be freely received within the housing opening 92 and slot 96, and is provided with a transverse portion 100 which larger than the slot 96 to retain the rib within the housing opening 92. A disc member 102 is slidably disposed within the housing opening 92 and is secured in any suitable manner to the outer end of the compression spring 94. Each of the ribs 98 and its transverse rib portion 100 are adapted to engage this disc member 102 when a rib is inserted into the upper end of the housing opening 92 and through the slot 96 to compress the spring 94 and load it for the launching of the rocket 90.

In order to retain the rocket 90 on the housing 88 in a position wherein one of the rocket ribs 98 is disposed in the housing opening 92 and slot 96, and is compressing the spring 94, the housing 88 is provided with an opening 104 at the end thereof adjacent the pin 70 and in the same side thereof as the slot 96. A leaf-type spring member 106 is secured at one end thereof to an inner portion of the housing 88 and has an arcuate portion 107 which extends outwardly of the housing through the opening 104 and merges with a fiat portion 108 that extends substantially reversely into the interior of the housing. The tail end of the rocket 90 is provided with an annular flange 110 which is adapted to be engaged by the flat portion 108 of the spring member 106 to retain the rocket 90 on the housing 88. For the purpose of engaging the spring member 106 and moving it into the housing opening 104 to release the rocket 90 from the housing 88, the support arm 72 is provided with a cam portion 112 which is disposed adjacent the spring 106. The cam portion 112 is adapted to engage the arcuate portion 107 of the spring member 106 to press it inwardly into the housing 88 and release its fiat portion 108 from the flange 110 of the rocket 90, when the support arms 72 and 74 are pivoted in a counter-clockwise direction by the torsional return force of the springs 28 and 30, and the housing 88 is pivoted in a clockwise direction on the pin 70, from the positions of FIGURE 6 to those of FIGURE 8.

Referring specifically to FIGURE 4, the end of the rocket housing 88 adjacent the pin 70 is provided with an enlarged, generally circular portion 114 having a plurality of circumferentially spaced notches 116 on the lower periphery thereof. A leaf-type spring member 118 has one end thereof secured to the lever 68 and is provided at the other end thereof with an upwardly curved portion 120 that is adapted to be resiliently engaged in one of the notches 116. In this manner, the spring member 118 serves to resiliently retain the rocket housing 88 in a selected position on the pivot pin 70 and in relation to the support arms 72 and 74, which is determined by the notch 116 into which the curved portion 120 of the spring member is engaged. The rocket housing 88, therefore, may be conveniently adjusted for various angles of firing to thus vary the trajectory of the rocket 90 fired therefrom.

While the rocket 90 may assume various shapes without departing from the spirit and scope of the instant invention, it is preferably provided with a pair of tail fins 122 on opposite sides thereof which serve to simulate a trueto-life rocket. The fins 122 preferably are circumferentially spaced at 90 degree angles from the ribs 98 so as not to interfere with the firing of the rocket from the housing 88. The rocket may be integrally formed or molded of a suitable plastic material and the body portion thereof may be provided with a hollow interior as shown in FIG- URE 5.

As shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, the housing 88 comprises an upper, elongated hollow portion 124 having a longitudinal slot 126 in the upper face thereof. The slotted housing portion 124 is adapted to slidably receive one of the rocket ribs 98 for the purpose of storing a rocket on the housing 88 when it is not being fired, as shown in broken lines in FIGURE 1.

In the operation of a toy vehicle 10 of the instant invention, the rocket launching housing 88 may be grasped by a child and pulled toward the rear of the vehicle 10 to rotate the support arms 72 and 74, and the lever 68 pivotally connected thereto, in a clockwise direction about the base member 76, as seen in FIGURE 1, to thereby torsionally load the springs 28, by a similar rotation of their upper ends which are connected to the lever 68. During this rotation of the support arms 72 and 74 and loading of the springs 28 and 30, the pin 44 on the first gear member 38 is engaged by the springs to rotate this gear member and its gear sector 40 in a clockwise direction to the position shown in FIGURES 1 and 6. As the springs 28, 30 are fully loaded, the locking lever 58 is pivoted in a counter-clockwise direction by the pin 63 on the extension 64 of the first gear member 38 to position its tooth 62 for engagement with the teeth of the second gear member 46 to lock it against rotation and prevent rotation of the first gear member 38 and its gear sector 40, owing to the engagement of the latter with the gear wheel 42 secured to the locked second gear member 46. Since the first gear member 38 cannot rotate, the springs 28, 30 are prevented from torsionally returning to the normal, unloaded position of FIGURE 8, owing to their engagement with the pin 42 on the first gear member 38. As described above, when the springs are in this loaded position and the second gear member 46 is locked against rotation, the shaft of the latter is shifted to the lower end of the bearing slots 48 to move the gear member 46 into meshing engagement with the third or axle gear member 52, thereby drivingly connecting the springs 28, 30 to the rear wheels 20.

When the support arms 72 and 74 are in the springloaded position of FIGURES 1 and 6, the cam portion 112 of support arm 72 is spaced from the spring member 106 so that the latter extends outwardly through the opening 104 in the rocket launching housing 88. A rocket 90 may be mounted on the housing 88 by inserting one of its ribs 98 into the housing opening 92 and sliding it through the slot 96 in the housing to engage the disc 102 and compress the spring 94 therein. The rocket rib 98 is moved through the housing slot 96 until the annular flange 110 on the tail end of the rocket is moved beyond the spring 106, so that the flat spring portion 108 engages the flange 110 to retain the rocket on the housing and to maintain the spring 94 in a compressed condition.

It is noted, that either before or after the mounting of a rocket 90 in a firing position on the housing 88, the housing may be rotated on the pin to a selected firing position, owing to the engagement of the spring member 118 with the notches 116 formed in the rear circular portion 114 of the housing, as described above and shown in FIGURE 4.

Prior to the propulsion of the vehicle and the firing of the rocket from the housing 10, a child may successively move the handle 24 of the motor sound unit 22 upwardly and downwardly to manually initiate the operation of the unit. The child may also first position the control member 26 for the sound unit 22 in its lowest position (shown in FIGURE 1), wherein a driving motor 8 sound will be produced by the sound unit 22 upon actuation of the handle 24. Because of the flywheel arrangement in the sound unit, as mentioned above and as disclosed in the above-identified pending patent application, the sound unit will continue to produce a motor sound for a considerable period of time after the handle 24 has been actuated.

While the motor sound unit 22 is functioning, the child may initiate the forward propulsion of the vehicle 10, and fire the rocket 99, by pressing downwardly on the handle portion 66 of the locking lever 58 to rotate it in a clockwise direction and to remove its tooth 62 from the teeth of the second gear member 26, as shown in FIG- URE 7. Since the first gear member 38 and the second gear member 46 are now free to rotate, the torsional return force of the springs 28, 30 causes their upper ends to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction, which rotation is transferred to the first member 38 and its gear sector 40 by the engagement of the springs with the pin 42 secured to the gear member 38; This rotation is then transferred to the rear wheels 20 through the second and third gear members 26 and 52, respectively, to propel the vehicle forwardly in a manner described above.

As the vehicle is moving forwardly, and the springs 28, 30 are returning to their normal unloaded position, the

support arms 72 and 74 are rotated in a counter-clockwise direction about the base member 76 and the rocket housing 88 is pivoted upwardly in a clockwise direction on the support arms, owing to the connection of the upper portion of the springs 28, 30 to the lever 68, which is pivotally mounted on the support arms and engageable with the adjacent end of the rocket housing 88 (see FIG- URE 8). When the rocket housing 88 has pivoted upwardly to an extent sufiicient for the cam surface 112 to engage the spring 106 and move it inwardly beyond the tail flange of the rocket, the compression spring 94 in the housing fires the rocket therefrom, because of its return force against the rocket rib 98 disposed within the housing.

It will thus be readily seen that the instant invention provides for the automatic firing of a rocket 90 from the housing 88 during the propulsion of the vehicle 10 by the torsion springs 28 and 30. Also, the upward pivotal movement of the rocket housing 88 prior to the firing of the rocket therefrom, closely simulates the operation of an actual rocket launcher, and thus provides an appeal to children. As an additional feature, the return movement of the torsion springs 28, '30 is in the same direction as the firing of the rocket by the compression spring 94, so that the springs 28, 30 serve to aid in the propulsion of a rocket 90 from the housing 88.

During the return movement of the springs 28, 30 and the counter-clockwise pivotal movement of the support arms 72 and 74, the elongated arm 84 pivotally connected to the extension 82 of support arm 74 is moved toward the arcuate base member 76 and into engagement with the laterally extending pin 86 mounted thereon. The engagement with the pin 86 causes the arm 84 to pivot upwardly on the support arm 74 in a clockwise direction so that the opposite end thereof engages the control member 26 for the motor sound unit 22, as the vehicle is being propelled and as the rocket 90 is being fired by the return torsional movement of the springs 28, 30. The upward movement of the arm 84 moves the control member 26 to its upper position wherein it conditions the motor sound unit 22 for producing a siren-type sound, as described above. This automatic change of the sound produced by the motor sound unit 22, from a driving-type motor sound to a siren-type sound occurs substantially simultaneously with the firing of the rocket 90 from the housing 88 during propulsion of the vehicle, and thus provides an additional feature which further contributes to the interest and appeal value of the instant toy vehicle.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A toy vehicle, comprising:

resilient spring means operatively asociated with the vehicle for propelling it,

means swingably mounted on the vehicle and operatively asociated with said spring means for deforming the latter from a normal position to a loaded position,

means for selectively locking said spring means in said loaded position,

rocket launching means pivotally mounted on said spring deforming means for pivotal movement in a vertical plane and being actuatable to fire a rocket mounted thereon by a predetermined relative movement of said deforming means in response to vehiclepropelling movement of said spring means from a loaded position to a normal position, whereby said launching means is automatically actuatable during propulsion of the vehicle,

said launching means being pivotally adjustable to selected positions relative to said spring deforming means to enable the firing position of said launching means and thus the trajectory of the rocket fired therefrom to be selectively varied.

2. The toy vehicle of claim 1 wherein said spring means comprises a helical torsion spring having one end secured to said deforming means and the other end in engagement with a portion of said vehicle.

3. The toy vehicle of claim 2 wherein a support member is rigidly mounted on said vehicle and said torsion spring surrounds and is mounted on said support member, and wherein a gear member is rotatably mounted on said support member and has means thereon positioned for engagement by said spring during torsional movement thereof to and from said normal position, so that said gear member is rotated by said movement of said spring.

4. The toy vehicle of claim 3 wherein said vehicle is provided with rear wheels, and a gear mechanism operatively associates said gear member and said wheels in a manner to enable said wheels to be driven to propel said vehicle by rotation of said gear member in response to torsional movement of said spring from said loaded to said normal position.

5. The toy vehicle of claim 4 wherein said gear mechanism is so constructed that it operatively connects said wheels to said gear member only while said spring is in a loaded position and during movement of said spring from said loaded to said normal position, thereby enabling said wheels to be freely rotatable on said vehicle during loading of said spring and after the return of said spring to said normal position.

6. The toy vehicle of claim 1 wherein a spring detent member is mounted on said deforming means and is in frictional engagement with a selected holding means on said launching means to retain said launching means in a selected position of adjustment relative to said deforming means.

7. The toy vehicle of claim 1 wherein said launching means comprises an elongated housing having a longitudinal slot extending from the firing end thereof and adaped to slidably receive a lateral rib of a rocket, a compression spring disposed in said housing, and a resilient member adjacent the other end of said housing adapted to engage a portion of a rocket on said housing to retain it in a position wherein its lateral rib is disposed in said slot and is compressing said compression spring.

8. The toy of claim 7 wherein said deforming means comprises a member which is positioned to engage said resilient rocket-retaining member on said launching means during movement of said spring means from said loaded to said normal position, thereby releasing said rocket from said launching mechanism and enabling it to be propelled by the compression spring in said housing.

9. The toy vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a variable motor sound simulating unit which is adapted to operate during propulsion of the vehicle, said spring deforming means being operatively associated with said unit to automatically vary the sound created thereby during propulsion of the vehicle and actuation of said launching means in response to the movement of said spring means from said loaded to said normal position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,223,119 11/1940 Muller 461 11 2,73 5,221 2/ 1956 Fields 46-202 3,025,846 3/1962 Crosman 4674 X 3,190,034 6/1965 Ryan 461 11 3,23 3,357 2/1966 Lent 4674 2,869,27 3 1/ 1959 Thorburn.

LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner.

C. R. WENTZEL, Assistant Examiner. 

